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'Well； my little sister；' said Fanny with a sigh； 'I suppose you know
what this means？'
'She's as beautiful as she's doated on；' stammered Mr Sparkler……'and
there's no nonsense about her……it's arranged……'
'You needn't explain； Edmund；' said Fanny。
'No； my love；' said Mr Sparkler。
'In short； pet；' proceeded Fanny； 'on the whole； we are engaged。 We
must tell papa about it either to…night or to…morrow； according to the
opportunities。 Then it's done； and very little more need be said。'
'My dear Fanny；' said Mr Sparkler； with deference； 'I should like to say
a word to Amy。'
'Well； well！ Say it for goodness' sake；' returned the young lady。
'I am convinced； my dear Amy；' said Mr Sparkler； 'that if ever there
was a girl； next to your highly endowed and beautiful sister； who had no
nonsense about her……'
'We know all about that； Edmund；' interposed Miss Fanny。 'Never mind
that。 Pray go on to something else besides our having no nonsense about
us。'
'Yes； my love；' said Mr Sparkler。 'And I assure you； Amy； that nothing
can be a greater happiness to myself； myself……next to the happiness of
being so highly honoured with the choice of a glorious girl who hasn't
an atom of……'
'Pray； Edmund； pray！' interrupted Fanny； with a slight pat of her pretty
foot upon the floor。
'My love； you're quite right；' said Mr Sparkler； 'and I know I have a
habit of it。 What I wished to declare was； that nothing can be a greater
happiness to myself； myself…next to the happiness of being united to
pre…eminently the most glorious of girls……than to have the happiness
of cultivating the affectionate acquaintance of Amy。 I may not myself；'
said Mr Sparkler manfully； 'be up to the mark on some other subjects
at a short notice； and I am aware that if you were to poll Society the
general opinion would be that I am not； but on the subject of Amy I am
up to the mark！'
Mr Sparkler kissed her； in witness thereof。
'A knife and fork and an apartment；' proceeded Mr Sparkler； growing； in
parison with his oratorical antecedents； quite diffuse； 'will ever
be at Amy's disposal。 My Governor； I am sure； will always be proud to
entertain one whom I so much esteem。 And regarding my mother；' said Mr
Sparkler； 'who is a remarkably fine woman； with……'
'Edmund； Edmund！' cried Miss Fanny； as before。
'With submission； my soul；' pleaded Mr Sparkler。 'I know I have a habit
of it； and I thank you very much； my adorable girl； for taking the
trouble to correct it； but my mother is admitted on all sides to be a
remarkably fine woman； and she really hasn't any。'
'That may be； or may not be；' returned Fanny； 'but pray don't mention it
any more。'
'I will not； my love；' said Mr Sparkler。
'Then； in fact； you have nothing more to say； Edmund； have you？'
inquired Fanny。
'So far from it； my adorable girl；' answered Mr Sparkler； 'I apologise
for having said so much。'
Mr Sparkler perceived； by a kind of inspiration； that the question
implied had he not better go？ He therefore withdrew the fraternal
railing； and neatly said that he thought he would； with submission； take
his leave。 He did not go without being congratulated by Amy； as well
as she could discharge that office in the flutter and distress of her
spirits。
When he was gone； she said； 'O Fanny； Fanny！' and turned to her sister
in the bright window； and fell upon her bosom and cried there。 Fanny
laughed at first； but soon laid her face against her sister's and cried
too……a little。 It was the last time Fanny ever showed that there was any
hidden； suppressed； or conquered feeling in her on the matter。 From that
hour the way she had chosen lay before her； and she trod it with her own
imperious self…willed step。
CHAPTER 15。 No just Cause or Impediment why these Two Persons
should not be joined together
Mr Dorrit； on being informed by his elder daughter that she had accepted
matrimonial overtures from Mr Sparkler； to whom she had plighted her
troth； received the munication at once with great dignity and with a
large display of parental pride； his dignity dilating with the widened
prospect of advantageous ground from which to make acquaintances； and
his parental pride being developed by Miss Fanny's ready sympathy with
that great object of his existence。 He gave her to understand that her
noble ambition found harmonious echoes in his heart； and bestowed
his blessing on her； as a child brimful of duty and good principle；
self…devoted to the aggrandisement of the family name。
To Mr Sparkler； when Miss Fanny permitted him to appear； Mr Dorrit said；
he would not disguise that the alliance Mr Sparkler did him the honour
to propose was highly congenial to his feelings； both as being in unison
with the spontaneous affections of his daughter Fanny； and as opening
a family connection of a gratifying nature with Mr Merdle； the
master spirit of the age。 Mrs Merdle also； as a leading lady rich in
distinction； elegance； grace； and beauty； he mentioned in very laudatory
terms。 He felt it his duty to remark （he was sure a gentleman of Mr
Sparkler's fine sense would interpret him with all delicacy）； that he
could not consider this proposal definitely determined on； until he
should have had the privilege of holding some correspondence with Mr
Merdle； and of ascertaining it to be so far accordant with the views
of that eminent gentleman as that his （Mr Dorrit's） daughter would be
received on that footing which her station in life and her dowry and
expectations warranted him in requiring that she should maintain in
what he trusted he might be allowed； without the appearance of being
mercenary； to call the Eye of the Great World。 While saying this； which
his character as a gentleman of some little station； and his character
as a father； equally demanded of him； he would not be so diplomatic
as to conceal that the proposal remained in hopeful abeyance and
under conditional acceptance； and that he thanked Mr Sparkler for the
pliment rendered to himself and to his family。 He concluded with
some further and more general observations on the……ha……character of an
independent gentleman； and the……hum……character of a possibly too
partial and admiring parent。 To sum the whole up shortly； he received
Mr Sparkler's offer very much as he would have received three or four
half…crowns from him in the days that were gone。
Mr Sparkler； finding himself stunned by the words thus heaped upon his
inoffensive head； made a brief though pertinent rejoinder； the same
being neither more nor less than that he had long perceived Miss Fanny
to have no nonsense about her； and that he had no doubt of its being all
right with his Governor。 At that point the object of his affections shut
him up like a box with a spring lid； and sent him away。
Proceeding shortly afterwards to pay his respects to the Bosom； Mr
Dorrit was received by it with great consideration。 Mrs Merdle had heard
of this affair from Edmund。 She had been surprised at first； because she
had not thought Edmund a marrying man。 Society had not thought Edmund
a marrying man。 Still； of course she had seen； as a woman （we women
did instinctively see these things； Mr Dorrit！）； that Edmund had been
immensely captivated by Miss Dorrit； and she had openly said that Mr
Dorrit had much to answer for in bringing so charming a girl abroad to
turn the heads of his countrymen。
'Have I the honour to conclude； madam；' said Mr Dorrit； 'that the
direction which Mr Sparkler's affections have taken； is……ha…approved of
by you？'
'I assure you； Mr Dorrit；' returned the lady； 'that； personally； I am
charmed。'
That was very gratifying to Mr Dorrit。
'Personally；' repeated Mrs Merdle； 'charmed。'
This casual repetition of the word 'personally；' moved Mr Dorrit to
express his hope that Mr Merdle's approval； too； would not be wanting？
'I cannot；' said Mrs Merdle； 'take upon myself to answer positively for
Mr Merdle； gentlemen； especially gentlemen who are what Society calls
capitalists； having their own ideas of these matters。 But I should
think……merely giving an opinion； Mr Dorrit……I should think Mr Merdle
would be upon the whole；' here she held a review of herself before
adding at her leisure； 'quite charmed。'
At the mention of gentlemen whom Society called capitalists； Mr Dorrit
had coughed； as if some internal demur were breaking out of him。 Mrs
Merdle had observed it； and went on to take up the cue。
'Though； indeed； Mr Dorrit； it is scarcely necessary for me to make that
remark； except in the mere openness of saying what is uppermost to one
whom I so highly regard； and with whom I hope I may have the pleasure
of being brought into still more agreeable relations。 For one cannot
but see the great probability of your considering such things from Mr
Merdle's own point of view； except indeed that circumstances have made
it Mr Merdle's accidental fortune； or misfortune； to be engaged in
business transactions； and that they； however vast； may a little cramp
his horizons。 I am a very child as to having any notion of business；'
said Mrs Merdle； 'but I am afraid； Mr Dorrit； it may have that
tendency。'
This skilful see…saw of Mr Dorrit and Mrs Merdle； so that each of the